~ Adventures of a 20-year bonsai beginner

Monthly Archives: May 2017

I was struck when I took an initial look at this redbud today. As it is shown below, there is a tip toward the front at the apex and there are branches at textbook locations on the larger trunk: left, back, right, left, back, right. It was almost too good to be true, so I moved it to the bench and grabbed some wire to start this young tree on the path.

Closer examination told a different story. This next picture shows the base (with some poorly applied wire) from the same front as above. Can you see how it curves under and back as it meets the soil?

On the other side, the base flares out toward the viewer giving a greater sense of age. For now, this will be my front.

Branches were wired down and new growth pruned a bit to encourage some branching. Unfortunately, the tip at the apex, which now goes in the wrong direction, had to be removed leaving what’s left of the apex rather skimpy.

This is a very young tree though. It has a long way to go, but this is a fair start.

I am a naturally skeptical person, especially when it comes to anything online, but my skepticism was quickly replaced with sincere gratitude when I learned Bonsai Iterate was included in a Feedspot list of Top 75 Bonsai Blogs. I know and enjoy many of the blogs on the list, and to be included with them is an honor.

In my years in bonsai, I have noted a consistent interest from non-bonsai folk regarding whether we name our trees. I name trees only when I need to distinguish one from another of the same species. I call this boxwood “Concord2.”

It was retrieved from a trash pile on the curb along Concord Drive. At the time it had three trunks. I split this twin trunk (it got to be #2 because it has two trunks) from its sibling tree, a single trunk tree I call Concord1 (one trunk). Concord1 is the tree in this recent post.

Well, now that I have bored everyone let show you what is am up to with Concord2. (And I’ll try not to explain any future names.)

The photo above is how Concord2 looked when it was shown last fall. Even as it was on display, I was planning changes. I’d like the foliage to be more layered and complex with multiple pads rather than just the three foliage masses it had then. Today I took the first steps toward that goal.

Here’s how it looked with fresh spring growth before work began.

And here it is after.

This is just a step down the road, and it is clearly not refined. Some branches were removed, others were repositioned with wire, and one branch on the back toward the top will be removed eventually, but for now I am going to let it grow out as a sacrifice branch.

It doesn’t look like much at the moment, but it is on a good path for the future. I think I will slip this into a slightly larger pot to grow. I look forward to sharing its progress in the future.

I spent a good chunk of the past weekend at a bonsai festival but haven’t written about it. I hate to think I have disappointed all three of my loyal followers.

First and foremost, the setting was stellar. We were at the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum at the National Arboretum in Washington DC. We were literally in the shadow of great trees, including Goshin, above, which is claimed to be the most famous bonsai in the world.

(Ok, I don’t like when people misuse the word ‘literally,’ so I will qualify the “literally in the shadow” thing. It was cloudy and rainy for most of the weekend, so there weren’t a lot of shadows… and even when the sun was out on Sunday… Well, you might have to bend down to be LITERALLY in the shadow. I mean, they are bonsai!)

Here are a couple shots of the Potomac Bonsai Association trees displayed in the China Pavillion.

A nice showing. We also had a formal display challenge (apologies, no photos), a great bunch of vendors, and much more.

Thanks to all those who worked so hard to make it all happen, including dozens of volunteers. This is an event to look forward to each year!

I come from an art background. When an artist submits an artwork for exhibition, it is bad form to change the artwork from what was shown to the juror.

I don’t really know the “rules” when living, growing things are selected for exhibition. I did some refinement pruning on this tree in advance of showing this coming weekend, but there is a little part of me that says I should not make any further changes before the show… even though there is obviously a branch that has to go.

Do you see it? Just below the apex the trunk splits in three directions. One of those three has to go. I’m going to remove the one on the right. The question is, when? It can definitely wait. The real question is, do I have the patience to grow it out as a sacrifice branch to thicken the trunk. Maybe get a graft out of it and get a branch down lower on the trunk.